The Shadow General

Gunnarr Cato sat on his veranda, feet up on a footrest, overlooking the clear water and forest hills of his small territory that was located in the upper north of the Caspian empire. The chair he sat in was padded with the most comfortable pillows and blankets that anyone could ask for. He quietly sipped his tea that was brought in from far away lands thinking that everything was pretty good, minus the fact that his side was killing him. Last week he went into battle with an enemy of a lot more strength than he had brought with him, and because of that he had taken on some heavy damages to his body. Although alive, he technically was on bed rest, due to severe pain. He was just finishing adjusting his pillows again when the doors to the veranda burst opened. "Eldest! You are getting married!" the tiny, beautiful young woman with a light complexion, blonde hair and bright blue eyes shouted the moment she saw him. Fulvia Cato had entered her brother's room to find it empty, again. Bed rest, seemed to be a suggestion to him. Anger had erupted in her, Does he think that his injuries are a joke? Or does he just like to see his siblings constantly worrying about him? This was why, she and her other siblings have been in a meeting all morning. This man, despite not caring about his health, was extremely intelligent. The problem with that was he intended to get extremely bored easily which led to foolish things. Last week he had heard of a small fight with a neighboring county, and finding it interesting he rode out with his men into battle. Their brother, Haraldur, was beyond pissed off at him. Haraldur, was the military leader in the family, along side their brothers, Brandr and Greipr, who worked as his right hand men. "He's been taking too many chances of late! He didn't even ask us to follow him!" Haraldur's voice had thundered at their meeting. Many of the siblings agreed it was time to settle him down, and for that reason, it was decided that a wife was needed. "I see," Gunnarr looked at his only sister, "but why all of a sudden?" Fulvia sighed as she sat down in a chair beside him, "You are the head of our family, but you have no heir, and on top of that you're taking to many risks." "First, I am acting as I have always acted. Second, why would a marriage change that?" "Simple, when you get bored you can get your wife to entertain you instead of going off to some war when you know that your brothers will take care of it for you should you use that intelligent brain of yours to ask them!" "Cough," Gunnarr looked at her, "It was something that I could take care of and nobody on our side died." "Something you can take care of, huh? Says the man who is supposed to be on bed rest, but is out here ignoring that fact. You can't even take care of yourself." He flinched as she just glared at him, "Since you seem to be doing well, we might as well head off to the capital tomorrow." "What?!" he was startled by the sudden change of pace, "But my injuries..." "You didn't care before about them, so it shouldn't matter now. I'll have everything ready to go so don't worry." "It's because you're mad at me for coming out to the veranda, that you're willing to watch me wither in pain for a long trip to the capital?" She is the only one who ever treats me like this! He thought bitterly. She gave him a sweet smile that made his back sweat in worry. His sister was the only one who could boss him around and everyone knew it. She was also extremely smart and quick witted, plus having twelve brothers she was was tough. "Why the rush? Surely, a couple of more weeks won't hurt anything?" he asked hopeful. Look at this guy trying to get out of it. I probably shouldn't tell him we were going to make him go one way or another, but since he's not being a good patient, it's a good excuse to move him now. "In a month the social season will start, so we'll have to prepare for it. It's best to go now," she told him sternly. She's not going to give me an inch. Guess I have no choice. "Fine," he sounded downhearted as he looked at the ground, "I'm not good at socializing with those of higher power though." She snorted at him, "Please, everyone will be falling all over themselves to get to know you, and we both know it. So don't even try." Gunnarr sat back and looked at his sister, "In all seriousness, I doubt you'll find anyone of to high of status to agree to marry me. I'm just a young man who owns a small undeveloped territory." Fulvia sighed, "If everyone knew you were the so-called Shadow General, the hero of the empire, it would go a lot easier. I don't suppose you would like to make an announcement on the subject and tell everyone who you are?" "Not at all." "That's what I figured," she replied sounding disappointed which made him look at her in suspicion, "In that case, we'll just have to throw our money around and make you look like the richest man there is." He frowned, "I pretty sure that I am the richest man in the empire." She smiled, "You are, but that is not the point. Anyway, I will go and start making arrangements for our travel." She left him still sitting there, and when he was about to rearrange his pillows again he heard her call out to him, "And get yourself back into bed! I'll have someone come and help you." "I guess I shouldn't have wanted to sit quietly on my veranda watching the clouds pass by," he grumbled.